With a population of 76,810, La Rochelle is a must-see destination in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. La Rochelle deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.
Looking for warm weather? Then head to La Rochelle in July, when the average temperature is 20 °C, and the highest can go up to 23 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 4 °C, with an average temperature of 6 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in October, when precipitation is around 80 mm. In contrast, March is usually the driest month of the year in La Rochelle, with an average rainfall of 40 mm.
When flying to La Rochelle, you’ll arrive at La Rochelle Laleu (LRH), which is located 2 miles from the city centre. The shortest flight to La Rochelle from the United Kingdom departs from London and takes around 1h 35m.
SNCF is the only carrier operating train routes to La Rochelle. The train journey from La Rochelle to Paris takes 2h 49m and costs around £16 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Toulouse, expect to pay about £35 for a 4h 52m trip. Located 1.0 mile from the city centre, La Rochelle is the busiest station in La Rochelle. Another popular train station is La Rochelle Porte Dauphine, located 0.1 miles from the centre.
Another option to get to La Rochelle is to pick up a car hire from Bordeaux, which is about 96 miles from La Rochelle. You’ll find branches of Alamo and Rentscape, among others, in Bordeaux.
You can travel by bus to La Rochelle using FlixBus or BlaBlaBus. From Nantes, the bus ride to La Rochelle takes 115 miles and will cost you around £15. From Toulouse, the ticket costs about £29 for a journey of 305 miles. La Rochelle’s bus station is located 0.4 miles from the city centre.
From 5-star hotels such as the Maison des Ambassadeurs to great affordable options like the Lagrange Apart'hotel L'escale Marine, La Rochelle offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around £86 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to £150 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Premiere Classe La Rochelle Centre - Les Minimes and Hotel Henri IV.
Hiring a car in La Rochelle costs £35 per day, on average, or £70 if you want to hire it for 2 days.
It’s generally cheaper to hire your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 6% cheaper than airport locations in La Rochelle.
Expect to pay £1.59 per litre in La Rochelle (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between £19.01 and £25.34. Mini (Peugeot 108 or similar) is the most popular car type to hire in La Rochelle, while also 68% cheaper than other types, on average.